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Sports

Freehold Boro Defeats Monmouth Regional on Opening Day

The Colonials used a five-run fourth inning to beat Monmouth Regional 8-4.

Freehold High School's baseball team (1-0) used a five-run fourth inning to overcome an early deficit and defeat Monmouth Regional (0-1) Saturday 8-4 in the season opener. This game was postponed one day due to rain. According to manager Jon Block it was exactly the start they needed.

“The key to the game was our defense,” Block said. “We didn’t have any errors. We did a nice job offensively putting people on base and making a move. Our pitcher after the first inning settled down and got a nice five innings out of him and it’s just a nice day to get out a get a [win].”

Coming into the frame down 4-2, they reeled off four straight hits, beginning with third basemen Anthony Vazzana’s double off Falcons’ starter Bill VanMeerbeke. Designated hitter Travis Rudic, first basemen Chris Escola, catcher Pat Conerty all singled and eventually scored, and by the time VanMeerbeke was replaced the Colonials had taken the lead 6-4. VanMeerbeke gave up six runs on seven hits in just over three innings of work. Freehold added another run off reliever Luke Cahill to make it 7-4.

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Monmouth Regional got off to a fast start in this game, scoring three in the top of the first of Colonials’ starter David Yanez. Shortstop Dan Carroll and VanMeerbeke had back-to-back singles and scored on first basemen’s Max Schmardel’s double. Schmardel would also later score and after the frame ended it was 3-0 Monmouth.

The Colonials got a run in the bottom of the first off a leadoff walk by shortstop Matt Holtz, who later scored on a single by Vazzana to make the score 3-1.

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After another run scored by Freehold in the bottom of the third, Regional got a run in the top of the fourth off a double by Carroll and a single by VanMeerbeke to make it 4-2.

After the onslaught in the bottom of the fourth the Colonials got their final insurance run in the sixth to make it 8-4 and a high quality first victory, according to Block.

“Me and Teddy [Monmouth Regional coach Ted Jarmusz] have been in this game a long time. It’s always a great game between us. With our team we know that if we get good pitching and get good defense we can with hopefully some of the better teams in the shore.”

Freehold's next game is scheduled for Monday against Point Pleasant Borough.

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